An "anti-smartphone" has been released to combat social media addiction: what makes it interesting

The unusual smartphone Minimal Phone, introduced a year ago, has reached the release stage. The company has started shipping devices to customers and is collecting new orders.

The device is notable for being equipped with a compact 4.3-inch E Ink screen and a physical keyboard, in the style of BlackBerry, which were popular before the iPhone appeared. The novelty is positioned as a device that will help you give up the constant scrolling of social media feeds, writes The Verge.

Minimal Phone specifications:

  • Screen: 4.3″, E Ink, 600×800 pixels, 230 ppi, 4:3.
  • Processor: MediaTek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2.
  • Memory: 6/8 GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256 GB ROM, microSD cards
  • Cameras: 16 MP (main), 5 MP (selfie).
  • Battery: 3000 mAh, Qi wireless charging for 15 Wt.
  • Connectivity: USB-C, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, 4G LTE, GPS, 3.5 mm, dual SIM.
  • Dimensions: 142 × 78 × 8.6 mm.

Despite the fact that the Minimal Phone is positioned as a smartphone to combat social media addiction, it runs on full Android 14 with all its applications from the Google store. You can't play games or watch YouTube on it, but you can stream music via YouTube Music and read e-books.

There's a 4,000 mAh battery inside, which should last for at least 4 days of battery life. The smartphone also has a camera, support for contactless payments, and five years of software updates.

The price of the smartphone starts at $399 (~16,000 UAH). Reviews of the Minimal Phone are already available online.

Natasha Kumar

By Natasha Kumar

Natasha Kumar has been a reporter on the news desk since 2018. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Times Hub, Natasha Kumar worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my natasha@thetimeshub.in 1-800-268-7116